Although it is named Seoul Grand Park, it is actually located in Gwacheon. At Seoul Grand Park, you can explore the zoo, botanical garden, modern art museum, and Seoul Land amusement park. It’s a great place to visit with children or use as a date course for couples, as it’s densely packed with a zoo, botanical garden, art museum, and amusement park.
Getting to Seoul Grand Park is straightforward. Take Subway Line 4 and get off at “Daegongwon” Station. From there, head towards Exit 2 to reach Seoul Grand Park.
“Seoul Zoo at Seoul Grand Park”
The origin of Seoul Zoo dates back to 1909 when it was first opened as Changgyeongwon at its current location, where Changgyeong Palace is now. It continued to exist even after 1945 and was relocated to Gwacheon in 1984 as Seoul Zoo, following the restoration of Changgyeong Palace in 1983.
In 2009, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, it was named Seoul Zoo.
“A Considerable-Sized Seoul Zoo”
Seoul Zoo is of considerable size. It houses the largest number of species in Korea, and it also has many unique species that are exclusively found here. In September 7, 2019, Seoul Zoo became the first zoo in Korea and Asia to successfully obtain AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) accreditation.
“Admission Fees”
The individual admission fee for adults is 5,000 KRW. For teenagers, it’s 3,000 KRW, and for children, it’s 2,000 KRW.
“A Zoo of Considerable Size”
The zoo is quite expansive, so it takes quite some time to make a full circuit. Therefore, when visiting the zoo, it’s advisable to be prepared for a considerable amount of walking.
While visiting zoos is common abroad, I hadn’t visited them much in Korea. In fact, nowadays, it’s more common for zoos to operate in the form of “safaris” where animals can be observed in a natural setting rather than in traditional zoo environments.
As time goes by, traditional zoos may disappear, and safari-style programs that allow for the observation of animals in their natural habitats may become more prevalent.
Nevertheless, for now, you can still find the zoo within Seoul Grand Park in Gwacheon, where you can encounter a diverse range of animals. It’s a great place for those interested in animals and for families with young children.
“Seoul Grand Park Seoul Zoo”
- Address: 623 Makgye-dong, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
- Phone: 02-500-7335
- Operating Hours: (Nov-Feb) 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, (May-Aug) 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM, (Mar-Apr) 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, (Sep-Oct) 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
- Website: https://grandpark.seoul.go.kr/main/ko.do